Holidays & Entertaining Entertaining 17 Ways to Host the Ultimate Oscar Night Party By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Instagram Sarah Martens is the senior food and recipes editor at Better Homes & Gardens overseeing all food content on the site. She is a writer, recipe developer, and editor with more than a decade of expertise in publishing. She got her start writing a food blog and firmly believes it’s not a party without a cheese plate. When she’s not thinking about what she's going to eat next, you’ll find her attempting (and regretting) art projects with her kids, scouring the internet for the perfect pair of loafers, or working to perfect her grandmother’s all-butter pie crust recipe. She holds a B.A. in public relations and marketing from Drake University. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on February 19, 2016 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Marshall Johnson Roll out the red carpet for these Oscar party ideas! Grab your squad and host the hottest awards party of the year with an Oscar-themed party. Our cast of A-list drinks, hors-d'oeuvres, and decorations will make your party worthy of Hollywood's top stars. Black tie optional, popcorn mandatory. 01 of 17 Party Hollywood-Style Get the free Party Kit Marshall Johnson Gather friends for the hottest ticket of the season: A front-row seat to the Academy Awards in the comfort of your glammed-up home! This year, the Oscars are on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Get your watch party started with a grenadine-topped champagne cocktail and sparkly stir sticks. 02 of 17 Create an Oscar-Worthy Setting Marshall Johnson One glance at your living room and guests will be starstruck. Set out fresh flowers, light small candles, and hang strung paper-glitter stars for a display as good as gold. Set up a DIY drink station and let guests play mixologist! 03 of 17 Party Accents Kim Cornelison Check your local party supply store for fun party accents like mini gold statues ($13 for 12, Oriental Trading Co.) meant to look like real Academy Awards. Add them to your DIY drink station with fun confetti glasses and plenty of champagne. 04 of 17 Serve Popcorn in Boxes Karla Conrad The star of all movie snacks? Popcorn, of course! Serve the iconic theater snack in paper popcorn containers. Use plain white or colored—either way, these festive boxes make it easy to mingle and munch all evening long. 05 of 17 Serve 5-Star Desserts Marshall Johnson Champagne flutes make great glasses for sweet treats. Fill them with homemade vanilla pudding or make individual brownie trifles. These dressed-up desserts—complete with a gold spoon and tied with a black bow—make it easy to grab and enjoy between commercials. 06 of 17 Nail Polish Party Favors Marty Baldwin The awards don't air until later, but the red carpet will be rocking much earlier. Start your party an hour or two before the show so you can catch all the fashions. Plus, pre-party favors of gold nail polish ($10, Target) let you and your girls get all prettied up, too! 07 of 17 Make Bow Tie Napkins Karla Conrad We'll take a round of black cocktail napkins with a twist, please! The slick stunners can be made in three easy steps: Fold a square black napkin into thirds, scrunch the middle, and tie a small piece of black fabric around the middle of the napkin. Twist ties also work just as well! 08 of 17 Make Swag Bags Marshall Johnson Give guests the celeb treatment with an adorable bag of Oscar night swag: chocolate stars, mini bottles of liqueur, and red-hot lipstick. Look for bags at your local crafts stores, then stamp away. 09 of 17 Oscar Night Party Games FREE Bingo Cards Kritsada Panichgul Entertain guests with a fun Oscar trivia quiz or download our printable bingo cards. The rules are easy-peasy: Watch the awards (and the commercials) for appearances of instances on your card. Use gold star stickers as markers. The first person to fill a row wins. 10 of 17 And the Oscar Goes To... FREE Ballot Marshall Johnson Quick! Before the show begins, make your own award predictions on our free downloadable ballot. Gold-dipped pencils and chic clipboards (available at your local office supply store) fancy them up in an easy, inexpensive way. 11 of 17 Easy Drink Garnish Peter Krumhardt Pour a party-ready glass of champagne! Simply garnish your glass with thick slices of star fruit. Add a small slit at the bottom and hang them on the side of each champagne flute. 12 of 17 Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic View Recipe This elegant appetizer of baked Brie, olives, and garlic earns nominations for both Best Presentation and Best Taste. We like it with small crispy toasts, but you can serve with crackers or any other kind of bread. 13 of 17 Chic Champagne Floats View Recipe Matthew Clark This boozy dessert deserves an award. Scoop your favorite sorbet ahead of party time and top with homemade berry syrup. Finish each glass with your favorite champagne or prosecco and a fresh lemon peel twist. 14 of 17 Glam Up Appetizers Marshall Johnson Simple party hors d'oeuvres like this blackberry- and prosciutto- topped crostini get instant 5-star ratings when topped with star-studded garnishes. Make your own using toothpicks, paper stars, and hot glue, or buy them online or at your local crafts supply store. 15 of 17 Premiere Dip Platter Andy Lyons Give your go-to party baguette something to talk about with a double-feature of dips. Starring market-fresh mozzarella and basil or garlic-baked eggplant—the cast is sure to win your audience's vote. 16 of 17 Chocolate-in-a-Leading-Role Cake View Recipe Blaine Moats Rich dark chocolate and market-fresh raspberries costar in this showstopping dessert. Just before serving, top each cake with a drizzle of creamy chocolate truffle icing. 17 of 17 Movie Montage Meatballs View Recipe Andy Lyons For a starter that will steal the show, slow-cook homemade turkey-oat meatballs in a bubbling blend of lime juice, soy, and molasses. Serve them with crusty bread or crackers. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit